Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Colin Stetson Premieres "Judges" On NPR Play Shows With God Speed You Black Emperor

"It is impossible, what you are hearing on this record. There are so many, CRUSHINGLY beautiful sounds coming out of one person, at ONCE, that it makes your skin tremble, your mind go blank, and your eyes close." - Justin Vernon, Bon Iver

Listen to "Judges" on NPR:
http://tinyurl.com/27u7w2f

"There are beautiful emotions in Stetson's music. They never assert themselves as individually dominant, but as different aspects of a complex, yet deeply moving, graceful, and sophisticated inner world that sings with mystery and aplomb." - All Music Guide

"...his breathing technique, multi-layering of sounds, creation of percussive lines and incredible control quickly moved from quirky to compelling." The Vine

"Stetson's compositions and ability to tell a musical story are what make this a great album." - AllMusic.com

"An intellectual and creative blend of John Coltrane and John Zorn, Stetson's compositions initially register as edgy instrumental tempests, but repeat spins reward the listener with a clarifying understanding that all of these numbers are governed by a rare and kinetic expertise." - Caught in the Carousel

"Stetson combines circular breathing with percussive key taps, yielding a bracingly poignant narrative." - TONY
"In the live setting, Stetson’s passion is palpable; nodding and swaying, he summons a powerful physicality to match his brawny sound." - TONY

" Stetson has an amazing command of his horns and plays with rare power and passion..." - Jazz Updates

Colin Stetson is a horn player of uncommon strength, skill and genre-defying creativity. He composes and performs otherworldly songs that combine a mastery of circular breathing technique with percussive valve-work and reed vocalisations, making a polyphonic solo music that combines influences as diverse as Bach, early metal, American pre-war Gospel, and the explorations of Jimi Hendrix, Peter Brotzman and Albert Ayler.

New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges is Stetson's second solo record and his first for Constellation. Colin has been making his mark as a staggering solo performer for several years now, in front of audiences small and large, from intimate jazz and experimental music venues to big stages, whether opening for Arcade Fire or The National, or playing at jazz and new music festivals like Moers and London Jazz. His talents have been widely recognised and employed by artists as diverse as Tom Waits, Laurie Anderson, TV On The Radio and Bon Iver. Colin also plays in Belle Orchestre and Sway Machinery.

The music on New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges was captured entirely live in single takes at Montréal's Hotel2Tango studio, with no overdubs or looping, using over 20 mics positioned close and far throughout the live room. Guest vocals by Laurie Anderson and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) are the only exceptions to this rule, along with one brief french horn that was multi-tracked.

The Judges sessions were co-produced by Stetson and Shahzad Ismaily and engineered by Efrim Menuck at the Hotel2Tango, then taken to Greenhouse StudiosBen Frost. in Reykjavik and mixed by

The result is a highly original, experimental, euphoric record that fires on all levels: a document of an astoundingly strong and gifted player; a compositional tour-de-force; and a studio production bursting with intensity and inventiveness.
New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges features cover art by Tracy Maurice and will be issued on CD in custom 100% recycled paperboard gatefold jacket and on 180gLP with a limited edition screenprinted poster contained in the first pressing. The album will also be available digitally.

Track Listing

1. Awake On Foreign Shores
2. Judges
3. The Stars In His Head (Dark Lights Remix)
4. All The Days I've Missed You (ILAIJ I)
5. From No Part Of Me Could I Summon A Voice
6. A Dream Of Water
7. Home
8. Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes
9. Clothed In The Skin Of The Dead
10. All The Colors Bleached To White (ILAIJ II)
11. Red Horse (Judges ll)
12. The Righteous Wrath Of An Honorable Man
13. Fear Of The Unknown And The Blazing Sun
14. In Love And In Justice

http://www.colinstetson.com/

http://www.myspace.com/colinstetsonmusic

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